Hard fuel orchard heater



Dec- 15, 1931. J. H. DORAN ET AL HARD FUEL ORCHARD HEATER Filed Aug. 13, 1930 Enum anun

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ATTORNEYS Patented Dec. 15, 1931 UNITED 'STATES PATENT-OFFICE JUNIUSH. DURAN AND LESLIE L. SWARTZ, OF SAN BERNARDINO, CALIFORNIA; ,VSAID i LESLIE L. SWARTZ ASSIGNOR TQ STANLEY H. SWARTZ Yruim; :FUEL onoHARn HEATER Y Applicationl filed August 13, 1930. Serial No. 474,969.

This invention relates to .improvements in orchard heaters. It is now becoming quite common practice to use for fuel in orchard heaters a solid fuel as distinguished from smudge oil heretofore generally employed. The solid fuel employed isin the form of a briquette. In prior orchard heater constructions, and particularly those employing this newly developed solid fuel, it has been customary to leave the top of the orchard heater comparatively open so as to create a considerable draft through the fuel on the grate. This results in several detriment-s. The draft carries the heat developediby the fuel directly up through the orchard heater, passing out ofthe top of the heater and rising vertically.

This draft carrying the heat vertically does not cause or allow the heat to radiate laterally toward adjacent vegetation;

It is an object of this inventionto provide an improved orchard heater which utilizes solid fuel and which is provided with a dampcr construction near the top. By this construction during the starting of the heater a .considerable draft may be created through the heater to cause a complete igniting of the fuel. Subsequently the damper construction may be almost completely closed, sufficient opening being left so as-to maintain combustion, but preventing` the strong vertical draft carrying away the heat. In this manner the heat will be to a great extent confined in the orchard heater and radiated laterally therefrom. y

Another object of the invention is to provide an orchard heater having near its top a projecting fiange constituting a form of baffle plateso thatrhot air, which has received its heat from the radiating walls of the heater and which tends to rise, will encounter the baliie plate and be caused vto move laterally toward adjacent vegetation.

Another object of the invention is to provide a construction wherein part lof the damper construction provides the projecting flange or baiiie plate.

A further obj ect of the invention is to provide an orchard heater designed to handle solid fuel which is provided with a remov- Vwalls of the heater.`

able. and replaceable liner With theforegoing and other objects in view, which will be made manifest in the following detailed description, and speciicially pointed out in the appended claims, reference is hadto the accompanying drawings 4for an` illustrative embodiment of the invention, wherein: f Y

Fig. 1 is a view in elevation, parts being broken away and shown in vertical section, illustrating one form of orchard heater embodying the invention.

Fig. 2 isa horizontal section-taken Vupon the line 2 2 upon Figure 1. v

Fig. 3 is a view similar to F igurel, illus-` trating a slightly modified form of construction.

Fig. 4 is a horizontal section taken upon the line 4 4 upon Figure 3 in the direction indicated. y

Referring to the accompanying draw` ings, wherein similar reference characters designate similar parts throughout,`the improved orchard heater comprises aV cylindrical body 10, preferably formed of sheet protecting the metal and having,` a short distance above its Y bottom, an inwardly extending crimp or corrugation 11. A grate G, which supports the fuel F, rests upon the crimp or corrugation'11. Below the grate the body 10`nas apair of apertures 12 formedtherein near the front ofthe heater anda similar pair of apertures:V may be formed in thebody at the'back of Vthe heater. These apertures pel?- mit Vairto entero the lieat'erbelow the grate Land to passup between the briquettes of fuel.

The apertures` 12 canbe. closed by slides 13,

having angular slots 14 through which rivets 15 extend. Thesefslides may be maintained in an elevated position, as shown in Figure 1, wherein the rivet 15 is disposed in the laterallyextending portion of the angular slot 14. By moving the shutters laterally the rivet' can be moved into the vertical portion of the slot and the slide allowed to drop, closing, or. partially closing, apertures 12.

Near the top ofthe body there may bev formed van outwardly extendingV crimp or corrugation 16.701,1` which may rest the down- Iagainst the walls of the body.

wardly extending flange 17 of the cover 18. Cover 18 has two apertures 19 formed therein, arranged diametrically opposite each other. On top of the cover there is positioned a damper plate 2O which is pivotally mounted on cover 18 as by a bolt 21. This damper plate has apertures 22 formed therein which are likewise arranged diametrically opposite each other. They may be caused to register with apertures 19. As clearly shown upon the drawings, the damper plate projects outwardly a material distance beyond the sides of the body, providing an outwardly extending flange portion or baille plate 23. the damper plate is roughly about twice the diameter of cover 18, although the relative diameters of these parts may vary.

The operation and advantages of the improved orchard heater are as follows. Fuel F is' first placed in the heater and sprinkled or coated with oil to facilitate ignition. The damper plate 20 is rotated into a position wherein apertures 22 and 19 register with each other. The slides or shutters 13 are elevated to create a maximum draft during starting and the fuel is then ignited. This is allowed to continue until the fuel is burning well, after which` the damper r plate 20 is rotated into a position to almost completelyv close apertures 19. This shuts down the draft through the heater and prevents the heat developed from rising vertically and` becoming lost. The walls f `of the body receive the heat developed and radiate it laterally toward surrounding vegetation. The air adjacent the body, which receives its heat therefrom, tends to rise to a certain extent and on rising it encounters the projecting flange or baffle plate 23, which causes it to move laterally toward the vegetation, protecting the vegetation fromv frost.

The construction illustrated in Figures 3 and 4 is the same as that illustrated in Figure 1 with the exception that on the interior of the body there is provided a corrugated liner 24 which fits snugly Within the body and keeps the fuel from burning directly The use of this liner is to protect and preserve the body as, if fuel is allowed to burn directly against the body, the walls of the body will in the course of time burn through. The corru- ,gated liner effectively protects the body from this burning and. while the liner may be burned in the course of time, it can be easily removed and replaced, thus prolonging the life of the heater.

From the above described constructions it will be appreciated that a simple, novel and advantageous orchard heater is provided which will be quite eflicient in that the heat will be directed laterally to a greater extent than in a construction where the heat As illustrated, the diameter ofv is allowed to rise vertically with the draft. We find from actual experience that where the draft is shut down that a given amount of fuel will burn longer and develop more effective heat, which is more effective on the surrounding vegetation, in the present construction than in prior constructions where the top of the heater is left open.

Various changes may be made in the details of construction without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.

le claim:

1. An orchard heater comprising a body, means for burning fuel within the body, a cover fitting closely over the top of the body having a passage therethrough, and means for opening and closing said passage, said means comprising aA damper plate pivoted to the cover and having a passage therethrough adapted to be caused to register with the passage in the cover, said damper plate projecting outwardly a material distance beyond the sides of the body as and for the purpose described.

2. An orchard heater comprising a body, a grate within the body, a cover fitting closely over the top of the body having a plurality of apertures therein, and a damper plate centrally pivoted to the cover having aportures which can be caused to register' with the apertures in the cover, said damper plate projecting beyond the sides of the body a material distance so as to provide a baffle.

ln testimony whereof we have signed our names to this specification.

JUNIUS H. DGRAN. LESLIE L. SWARTZ. 

